Automatic closure means for tank filling line



C- 29, 1957 w. zAUGG ET AL AUTOMATIC cLosURE MEANS FOR TANK FILLING LINE FiledJune 23, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 29, 1957 w. zAUGG x-:rAL

AUTOMATIC cLosURE MEANS FOR TANK FILLING LINE Filed June 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 29, 1957 w. ZAUGG ETAL 2,81L180 AUTOMATIC CLOSURE MEANS FOR TANK FILLING LINE Filed June 23, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 nn and alla 2 l 1U T I Il U7 I\ I u 9 23 2025 22 14 14.1. 21 19 18 9 .Il 24 A ,1 l glmf'JI- O I .4

1 L E .1311 F794 United rates Patf "0.

2,811,180 l Patented oct. 29, 1957` ing the filling lineof tanks and in particular to cocks as described in the Uf. S. Patent No. 2,402,036, Y

' Such cocks comprise an airline the `free `end of which projects into thetank; `When a liquid flows through the lilling line, an air current is produced 'in the airline, and it acts on a`spring-loaded membrane which operates-a shut-'olf valve,` when' the freeend of the airline is closed by the rising liquid level. "Wheri utilizing Ysuch known cocks in gasoliestations, troubles and disorders often arose. Investigations and tests have shown that the trouble resulted from an improper resiliency ofthe spring bearing on the membrane. Tests with a view to overcome such insuiiciency'by exchanging'the'springs, met with no permanent success, since itwas soon found that the spring tension' has" to 'be 'in 'vcefrtainr relation `to the subpressure.orltothe liquid pre'ssrejwhich produces the latter, and "trthe'flow velocity." Ifmihwere desired to merely exchange"the comp're'ss'ion spring usually' disposed on the subpressure-side of the membrane by a spring of variable resiliency, various construction possibilities would be available. The adjusting means could be mounted on the outside of the cock, but intricate sealing problems would have to be solved, thus rendering the cock more expensive. The adjusting means could also be arranged near the spring within the cock, but in order to adjust them the cock would have to be disassembled rst every time.

It is therefore an object of the invention to eliminate these inconveniences and shortcomings by disposing the membrane-loading spring on the side of the membrane which is exposed to the atmospheric pressure, and by making the spring tension adjustable from the outside.

Further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

Two gasoline cocks for automobile gasoline stations and for airplane gasoline stations respectively embodying the invention are shown diagrammatically and by way of example in the drawings annexed to this specification and forming a part thereof. In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections of the two cocks;

Figs. 3 and 4 show the cover of the rst cocks in side view, partly in section, and bottom plan view respectively, and

Figs. 5 and 6 show the cover of the second cock in side view partly in section, and bottom plan view, respectively.

Figs. l, 3 and 4 depict the cock for automobile gas stations, comprising a main body 1 and a cover 2, interconnected by pins 3 and screws engaged in holes 4. In cover 2 are disposed an airduct 5 which interconnects a chamber 6 to an airduct 7 of main body 1, and an airduct 8 of which one end also opens into chamber 6 and of which the other end is normally closed by a spring-loaded member 9. Chamber 6 is sealed at its bottom by a membrane 10 to which, through a pin 11, screw-connected thereto, is pivoted a pawl 12. A pin 13 interconnecting these two parts is pushed downwardly by a leaf spring 14 seat 30a, .arvalve body 30b and a guide member 30d,

of which one end 14a (Fig. 3) bears in a recess in which the membrane l0,is secured by an expansion ring, While its other end l4b is bent downwardly and bears on the inner end of a set screw 16. The set screw is loosely disposed in a bore 17, being secured therein by a slotted hexagonal nut 18 (Fig. 3). Set screw 16 has -a slotted head or outer end 16a which is protected in said bore from unintentional contact, but is readily accessible by a screw driver.' ByV turning screw 16, the tension of spring 14 may be varied. Pawl`12 is pivoted on a pin 19 and locates an impact cylinder 22 which is movable on van axle pin 20 and loaded by a'spring 21. Member 9 which closes duct 8, is secured to an arm 23 of which one end is pulled into the ,closing position by a spring 24, while its other end carries a roller 25 for opening duct` 8 by en` gagement with cylnde'r22. y

Main body 1 onthe outside comprises an inflow port 26 (Fig. 1), a nozzle27fand a handlever 28. The latter is securable in the open position shown by means of a spring-loaded set pin 29 so.that gasoline entering through 26 may flow througha duct` 31, a shut-off valve 30 and a safety valve 32 into nozzle` 27.` Valve 30 comprises a Valve body 30b' through a spring? 30d is pressed against the valve seat, but is held in the open position bya pawl 33 which retains a lpin 34 xed to valve body30bl. Pawl 33 is pivoted toa sliding member 36 which is loaded by,` a spring 35.at1dconnected to rhand lever 28 ,through a'f link V371 Bvetweenrvalvel andjnozzle 27 is disposeda jet pump ,38,fro4m,Whichthersuction line 39 communicates:

f with Aairduct V5 and an airline 40.' VSafety .valv e32 pre- Yeats any gasoline inthehose (not-ShOIWJl)..btw/'e611' in?! ilow'26`andV a meter disposed in'the gasoline col'uninf from running out when opening valve 30, without pumping fresh gasoline through said meter. The inow apertures of jet pump 38 are so arranged that, when opening safety valve 32, gasoline rst ilows through said apertures before valve 32 opens so far as to adapt the crosssection to the mass ow. The free end 40a of air line 4l) is situated close to nozzle 27 so as to project as far into the tank to be lled as to lie below the liquid level of the full tank, so that said end is closed by the liquid.

In Fig. 1, the cock is opened and its handlever 28 is locked by set pin 29. When gasoline starts to llow through port 26, duct 31, valves 30 and 32 and nozzle 27, a sucking air current is produced in line 40 by jet pump 38. When the gasoline level in the tank rises up to mouth 40a of air line 40, the latter is shut off and a subpressure is produced in the interconnected lines 40 and 5 and in chamber 6, as that membrane 10 is sucked into the latter against the action of spring 14. As membrane 10 through pin 11 is connected to pawl 12, the latter is raised also and cylinder 22 may snap to the right (Fig. 1). Said cylinder rocks arm 23 so that air ows through duct 8 into chamber 6 in order to prevent aspiration of gasoline by said subpressure. Cylinder 22 also rocks pawl 33 so as to release pin 34 and close shut-ott valve 30 by spring 30d.

When manually moving set pin 29, spring 35 pushes slide member 36 to the left (Fig. l) so that handlever 28 which is connected to the latter through link 37, is swung downwardly. Cylinder 22 follows pawl 33 until it is retained by pawl 12. Pawl 33 returns into its initial position, and the cock is again ready for operation. When swinging lever 28 upwardly, pawl 33 is engaged to pin 34, the valve is opened and gasoline flows through again.

The subpressure produced by jet pump 38 depends on the gasoline flow velocity, and the latter on the available pressure and the state and condition of the feed lines.

With the aid of set screw 16, the spring tension may same reference numerals which, however, -are 'primed'.

In a constructional respect, there are two differences between the two cocks. While in the' cock of Fig. l handlever 28 is connected Vto `sliding member 36 throughA link 37, handlever 28' of the second cock comprises a tooth segment 28a' which meshes with a gear wheel 42. The latter is integral with a gear wheel 43`which'meshe'swith a rack 36a' which forms part of sliding member 36. `In place of spring 35, a spring 46 is provided. The second constructional difference between the two cocks shown is the use of a spring 44 (Figs. S and 6), which is fixed at its end 44a in place of spring 14. The other end 44b of the spring bears on screw 16' the axis of which is at right angles to the spring axis. The set screw itself is disposed in a threaded hole 45. This second cock operates in a similar manner as the first described above.

It is to be understood that the forms of this invention, herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

We cla-im:

1. In a tank lling apparatus for liquids, a casing, a liquid discharge pipe connected to the casing, iluid passage means in the casing for the ow of uid to the discharge pipe, fluid valve means for controlling the ow of the tiuid, manually operable means for opening said uid valve means, a jet pump in said uid passage means and including an air intake carried by the discharge pipe and adapted to be closed by the liquid when the tank is filled, said casing having a chamber connected by air conduit means to the air intake, a diaphragm forming one wall of said chamber and hermetically sealing the chamber, spring means positioned externally of the chamber and connected to the diaphragm for urging it outwardly of the chamber, means operable by the diaphragm, upon inward movement thereof when a predetermined pressure is present Within the chamber upon closing of the air intake by the liquid in the tank, for automatically closing the uid valve means, adjusting means supporting one end of the spring means and positioned in said casing outside of the chamber for adjusting the tension of the spring means from the outside of the casing, said casing being formed with means housing said adjusting means against accidental movement and adapted to accommodate a tool to actuate the adjusting means.

2. A tank filling apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said last means includes a bore in the casingY extending below the diaphragm and said adjusting means includes a rotatable screw housed in the bore and movable axially therein and against the inner end of which one end of the spring bears,rsaid spring being a leaf spring and said screw having an outer end disposed a certain distance within the bore from the outside of the casing and said outer end being formed with means to accommodate a tool insertable in the bore to engage and rotate the screw.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

